


we’ll build it better, together

by gracieli



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Buckley-Diaz family, Eddie Diaz Needs a Hug (9-1-1 TV), Fluff, Gen, Light Angst, Pre-Relationship, Soft Eddie Diaz
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:21:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25546585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gracieli/pseuds/gracieli
Summary: Eddie has a simple dream of a treehouse for Christopher.
Relationships: Christopher Diaz & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley & Christopher Diaz & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan “Buck” Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 25
Kudos: 166





	we’ll build it better, together

**Author's Note:**

> this fic starts while Eddie is in El Paso after Shannon leaves

Eddie doesn’t exactly know how the idea takes shape but he wants to build Christopher a treehouse.

It’s not that Christopher has ever even mentioned wanting a treehouse to him, because his son doesn’t really ask much of anything from him. Eddie hates this, hates that Christopher feels that he can’t ask for things from Eddie, because Eddie would give him the world if he could. Christopher knows that he can’t, though, and so he doesn’t ask. Even so, his son never makes him feel bad about it because even at his young age, he seems to know how hard Eddie tries. Eddie loves him the more for this and is never not blown away by his son’s compassion and understanding but it’s still a painful idea to reckon with.

It’s a Saturday and for the first day in months, he has nowhere to be but with Christopher. They end up at the library and when he comes across a book about two kids forming a treehouse club, the idea settles in his mind. The rest of the day passes peacefully and when Christopher is tucked into bed, Eddie breaks out his laptop and spends the night researching accessible treehouses, ignoring how he has to be awake at 5 a.m. in favor of looking into various ramp designs.

Because Eddie can’t wake Christopher up in the morning and get him ready for school most days, can’t spend the afternoon helping him with his homework, can’t chaperone his field trips, _can’t can’t can’t_. His parents don’t let him forget this, all of the ways he fails his son every day, but this is finally something he _can_ do. As he spends his breaks at work drafting the design for the treehouse, drawing a slide coming off the side and adding a swingset underneath the platform, the constant wave of _not enough_ that constantly threatens to drown him finally calms and allows him some peace. For the first time in a long time, Eddie feels an inkling of hope and as the concept of the treehouse takes root in his mind, so does the idea that he is good for his son, that he can give his son the life that he deserves.

Life carries on in the same way and Eddie graduates from the fire academy, applies for stations in any place that isn’t El Paso, works three different jobs to make ends meet. He’s struggling, he knows, but his dreams of a better life for him and Christopher are what push him through each long day.

He’s only one person, though, and so his breaking point finally comes when his parents suggest that Christopher live with them permanently, begging him to not drag Christopher down with him. He can’t listen to anymore of what they’re saying before he’s pushing off the couch and out to the backyard.

Eddie stands on the porch and there’s a moment where his parents’ voices are all he can hear and that little seed of hope that life could be different, could be better, slowly withers up inside of him. Briefly, he considers the possibility that his parents are right, that he would only ruin Christopher’s life.

Looking out, though, it hits him that there is no tree in this backyard, no way to build a treehouse for Chris. It seems like a minor thing to notice at this moment but it doesn’t feel small to Eddie. Their backyard doesn’t have a tree and they can’t grow here, can’t make a life here - not the one he wants for them, anyway. Eddie wants so much for his son and he owes it to him to at least try.

A few moments later he notices Christopher is there too and so he wraps his son in his arms and they make plans to take a trip together.

A week later, all of their belongings are packed into Eddie’s truck and they’re finally on their way out of El Paso. As the two of them make the long journey to Los Angeles, the finished design for the treehouse travels with them, tucked away in a folder with all of their other important documents.

They arrive in L.A. and stay with Abuela until Eddie can find a house for them. When Eddie begins house hunting, he only looks at houses with a large backyard and a tree. He wants to say that this isn’t necessarily a deal breaker but it definitely is. Because of this, it takes him a bit longer to find the perfect house but eventually he does and he feels it’s worth it.

Everything else slowly settles into place: they move in, he enrolls Christopher at the local public school, and he starts at the 118.

While Eddie hates it, he can’t help that the blueprints for the treehouse collect dust for the next month. Between long shifts at the firehouse, complicated applications for grants, and an unfruitful search for a better school for Christopher, Eddie doesn’t have time to build the treehouse. His load becomes a little bit lighter when Buck introduces him to Carla but there is always so much to do and not enough time in the day.

One afternoon, Buck is over and watching TV while Eddie fills out paperwork for the new school he’s enrolled Christopher in. Eddie doesn’t really understand why Buck wanted to come over since he warned the other man that he wouldn’t be much fun, but he’s secretly grateful for the company anyway. Eddie grabs the large folder of Christopher’s important documents to look for his vaccination records and finds the design for the treehouse tucked away.

Eddie pulls it out and studies it for a moment, disappointment filling his chest at the reminder of his aborted plans.

He’s so caught up in it that he doesn’t notice Buck peering at the paper curiously from where he’s sitting, and because Buck has absolutely no capacity for subtlety, he wastes no time to ask, “Oh man, is that a treehouse?”

Eddie simply nods and Buck makes a gesture toward the plans. “Can I see?”

“Go for it,” Eddie says, passing the blueprints over. He doesn’t say anything else, just lets Buck look at it for a moment.

“Eddie, this is so cool. Are you gonna build it?”

And isn’t that the question to end all questions.

He sighs, raking his hand through his hair. “I want to, I just haven’t really had the time yet.”

Eddie feels like this would be embarrassing or an admittance of failure if he were talking to anyone else besides Buck.

“You know, if you want I can help,” Buck says excitedly, “I mean, only if you want, obviously, and I’ve never really built anything like this before but I think it could be fun.”

Eddie waves a hand dismissively. “I can’t put you out like that, man. I appreciate it though.”

Buck considers him for a moment, looking at Eddie oddly.

“You wouldn’t be - were you even listening to me? I asked you, not the other way around. I want to do this, as long as you’re cool with it.”

Eddie is definitely taken aback, but Buck is looking at him so earnestly and Eddie really doesn’t know what to do with it. He’s always hated admitting that he needs help, that he couldn’t do everything on his own, but this is Buck. Buck, who drove Eddie to Christopher’s school after the earthquake, who arranged for Christopher to come to the firehouse while Abuela was in the hospital, who brought Carla into his life. Buck, who is so kind and good and gives and gives without ever expecting anything in return.

Eddie trusts Buck, more than he thinks he’s ever trusted anyone before, so he relents.

“If this is how you want to spend your off days, I guess I can’t stop you.”

Buck whoops and grins at Eddie enthusiastically, looking as if he just won the lottery and really, what is the deal with this guy?

But it really is as easy as that and soon they’re building a treehouse together.

Since neither of them are professionals and have no interest in building a death trap for Christopher, Buck introduces Eddie to Michael and they all finalize the blueprint for the treehouse and outline the steps for the building process. Michael also helps them find materials for much cheaper than Eddie would have been able to get them for and Eddie is beyond grateful.

Chris is elated when Eddie finally shows him the plans for the treehouse and wastes no time launching into a detailed discussion of his plans for the interior, which include but aren’t limited to transforming it into a space station, an underwater cave, and a pirate’s ship.

Construction takes a few months and while it’s pretty long, it’s equally fun - just as Buck said it would be. They spend whatever days off they get working on it - for the first few weeks, Eddie can’t shake the worry that Buck would get tired of the project and want to reclaim his off days, but Buck always shows up with that same, bright enthusiasm. At some point, Eddie stops worrying altogether.

Christopher will usually keep them company outside as they work, sharing what he got up to with his friends that day or what he learned in school. Sometimes the other members of the 118 join, bringing food and helping them build. Accepting their help and kindness only feels good, and the shame and guilt that had once been so overwhelming finally dissipates.

When Eddie first started thinking about the treehouse, he always imagined that he would build it alone. When he looks at the treehouse now, though, he’s overcome with the tangible evidence of the love of his chosen family. The ramp that Bobby helped build, the swings that Hen and Karen attached, the old telescope that Chimney brought for the deck - all of this reminds him that it isn’t him and Christopher against the world anymore. The treehouse feels alive with love and warmth, and Eddie thinks it’s better this way.

Buck is there for the finishing touches and helps move the beanie bags, blankets, toys, and books into the treehouse. He lifts Christopher up so he can arrange glow in the dark stickers on the ceiling just to his liking while Eddie strings colored lights around the inside. By the time everything is set up, the sun has long set and the stars litter the night sky. No one is ready to leave the treehouse and head back inside yet, so the three of them pile together underneath a heap of blankets on the deck of the treehouse and look up at the sky, trying (and mostly failing) to identify the constellations.

As Eddie listens to the voices of his two favorite people, he feels good and warm even in the bitter evening chill. A sense of peace washes over him and he’s grateful for every decision he ever made that brought the three of them here in this treehouse together.

**Author's Note:**

> i live for soft!eddie now and always 😌
> 
> i hope you guys liked it! i’m at @gracieli on tumblr if anyone wants to say hi


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